I will be writing personally, however, I am emailing now to ask if you would possibly consider voting for me in the forthcoming Deputy Speaker election and, if you cannot give me your first preference vote, would you consider giving me your second?

The paramount quality for a Deputy Speaker position is impartiality. I don’t think anyone can doubt that I am possibly the most impartial MP in the House of Commons and I do believe I have demonstrated my commitment to fairness via my role as a committee chair on the Speakers Panel.

In terms of my political commitment, I was the only victim of the smear gate emails who could attack Damian McBride, which I did for five consecutive days and nights. The attack culminated in my publicly demanding an apology from Gordon Brown, which I received. Damian McBride left No 10 the same day.

Since the 2009 expenses crisis I have been a known defender of MPs and continue to tackle IPSA on a regular basis.

I have a record of achievement in Parliament that has resulted in the number of late term abortions dropping year on year since my first vote in 2008 and the offer of abortion counselling being included in DOH guidelines following the campaign in 2011. It was always about winning over hearts and minds in the public, not votes in Parliament. If you don’t agree with my position on late term abortion you may see this as a way to shut me up!

In terms of the profile of women within the party, it would certainly be helpful for the party to be seen to elect a working class, northern female. This is an issue David Cameron is very aware of in the lead up to the General Election.

I haven’t agreed a pact with Nigel but would stand down without hesitation should he return, as a matter of decency.

I am obviously not the No 10 candidate, something which in the election of a Deputy Speaker should not exist.

Whichever way you vote, thanks for reading this far and I hope if you feel you can’t vote for me, you would consider giving me your second vote.

Yours with best wishes,

Nadine

Apparently she is not the Number 10 candidate. Who’da thunk it? Guido’s money is on Burns still…